(Griswold, Iowa) – Members of the Griswold School District’s Board of Education will hold a work session next week, to review and discuss continued research on a possible four-day school week, and to consider various staff contract requests. Superintendent Dave Henrichs says the work session takes place Tuesday, June 6th at 8-a.m., in the Conference Room at the High School. No action is expected.

In April, District officials held an all-staff meeting, presented the facts, and polled the staff on the proposal to reduce the school week to four days. The Board informally set December as the deadline for whether the district will move forward with the proposed four-day school week.

(Red Oak, Iowa) – Montgomery County Auditor Jill Ozuna wants to let residents of the County know, that the Montgomery County Board of Supervisors may be attending the annual inspections of the Red Oak/Stennett Creek structures, along with the Montgomery County Soil & Water Conservation District Board of Commissioners. The inspections will take place at 10-a.m. June 6th, following a regular meeting of the Board of Supervisors.

Ozuna says “There is a possibility that there will be a quorum. No official county business will be acted upon during that time.”

(Forest City, Iowa) – The driver of a GMC Yukon was seriously injured during a single-vehicle accident Wednesday night, in northern Iowa. The Iowa State Patrol reports 25-year-old Tara Jo Hartigan, of Forest City, was traveling east on 335th Street west of Highway 69, in Forest City, when the SUV she was operating went out of control and entered the south ditch. The vehicle rolled multiple times. The woman was not wearing a seat belt.

Hartigan was transported by ambulance to Mercy One in Mason City. The crash, which happened at around 8:52-p.m., Wednesday, remains under investigation.

(Neola, Iowa) – NAMI Southwest Iowa, a leading mental health organization, is delighted to announce that it has been awarded a generous grant of $30,868 in program support funding for the fiscal year 2024 from the esteemed Iowa West Foundation. This funding will significantly contribute to NAMI Southwest Iowa’s continued efforts in supporting individuals and families affected by mental illness throughout the region. NAMI SW Iowa serves Cass, Fremont, Harrison, Mills, Monona, Montgomery, Page, Pottawattamie and Shelby Counties.

The Iowa West Foundation is widely recognized for its commitment to enhancing the quality of life for citizens residing in southwest Iowa and eastern Nebraska. Their dedication to supporting organizations and initiatives that promote education, health, and human services aligns perfectly with NAMI Southwest Iowa’s mission of providing education, support, and advocacy to individuals and families affected by mental health conditions.

The grant from the Iowa West Foundation will enable NAMI Southwest Iowa to expand its reach and enhance its programs and services aimed at addressing the pressing mental health needs in the community. The funds will be utilized to sustain ongoing programs, ensuring the delivery of crucial resources, support groups, educational programs, and mental health awareness campaigns.

Anna Killpack, Executive Director of NAMI Southwest Iowa, says “NAMI Southwest Iowa is extremely grateful to the Iowa West Foundation for their generous support. This grant will allow us to further our mission of providing vital services to individuals affected by mental illness and their loved ones. We are proud to partner with the Iowa West Foundation in our shared commitment to improving mental health outcomes in our community.”

The partnership between NAMI Southwest Iowa and the Iowa West Foundation signifies a significant step forward in addressing the mental health challenges faced by individuals in southwest Iowa. By investing in NAMI Southwest Iowa’s programs, the Iowa West Foundation demonstrates its unwavering dedication to building stronger, healthier communities through mental health initiatives.

For more information about NAMI Southwest Iowa and its programs, please visit www.NAMISouthwestIowa.com. To learn more about the Iowa West Foundation and its philanthropic endeavors, visit www.iowawestfoundation.org.

(Sidney, Iowa) – The Fremont County Sheriff’s Office has issued a report (ar_presslog) listing 32 arrests during the month of May. Here are a few of the latest, or most notable arrests:

32-year-old Brittany Ann McCallum, of Sidney, was arrested Tuesday night (5/30), for Possession of a Controlled Substance & Poss. of Drug Paraphernalia. She was released from custody on a cash bond, early Wednesday morning.

43-year-old Amanda Marie Graham, of Imogene, was arrested Tuesday evening, for Assault w/bodily injury. Graham was released Wednesday evening, on a surety bond.

41-year-old Daniel Ryan Thompson, of Hamburg, was arrested Monday night for Domestic Abuse Assault w/bodily injury. He was released Tuesday afternoon on a cash bond.

18-year-old Kaden Leann Payne, of Sidney, was arrested early Monday morning, for OWI/1st offense. She was released a few hours later on a cash bond.

On the 27th of May, 43-year-old Kimberly Mae Fugate, of Shenandoah, was arrested on two counts Poss. of a controlled substance and Poss. of drug paraphernalia. She was released the next day on a cash bond.

On May 25th, 41-year-old Shane William Vandervort, of Council Bluffs, was arrested in Thurman, for the trafficking of Methamphetamine (5gm-100kg). He remains held in the Fremont County Jail.

And, on May 22nd, 33-year-old Brandon Scott McClarnon, of Thurman, was arrested for Child Endangerment/Physical/Sexual Assault. He posted a surety bond on May 23rd.

(Radio Iowa) – The man who owns the partially collapsed apartment building in Davenport has issued a statement, thanking first responders and groups that are assisting tenants who lost all their belongings. Andrew Wold bought the building in downtown Davenport in 2021. In his written statement, Wold said his thoughts and prayers are with the tenants and their families at this difficult time.

The Quad City Times reports Wold had hired a contractor to work on the building, but the contractor told his employees the structure was unsafe and to get out of the building on Friday. Parts of the building collapsed Sunday afternoon. According to several media reports, the city declared the building a nuisance last year and a judge ordered Wold to pay a 45-hundred dollar fine this spring. This week, the city issued another 300 dollar fine against Wold.

Davenport officials say the building is in danger of total collapse. Two people are thought to still be in the wreckage.

(Radio Iowa) – A human trafficking victim who pleaded guilty to killing a man she said raped her when she was 15 has again been placed on probation at a residential facility. Last November, Pieper Lewis cut off her ankle monitor and left a transitional women’s center in Des Moines without permission. Polk County Judge David Porter told Lewis she’s now been convicted of two felony offenses.

“Miss Lewis, I indicated to you last year — you’ve asked for a second chance, you don’t get a third. I stand by that,” he said. “There are consequences for your actions.” Lewis could have been sentenced to up to 20 years in prison. Polk County Attorney Kimberly Graham says she agrees with the judge’s decision to keep Lewis out of prison.

“My gut instinct and based on my conversation with Miss Pieper Lewis is that she has learned from what has happened,” Graham said, “and that she is more willing than she has been to listen to those around her.” The judge did revoke the deferred judgment he issued a year ago. It means two felony convictions will remain on Lewis’ record after she completes five years of probation.

The case drew national attention after Lewis was ordered to pay restitution to the family of the man she says raped her. The Iowa Department of Corrections recommended that Lewis be sentenced to prison after her escape.

(Radio Iowa) – The four Republicans who represent Iowa in the U.S. House have voted in favor of a bill that raises the federal government’s borrowing limit and outlines future cuts in some federal spending. All four members of Iowa’s U.S. House delegation issued written statements after casting their votes. First District Congresswoman Mariannette Miller-Meeks of Le Claire said she was proud to vote yes on a bill that includes spending reforms and policies that are the first step in putting the country on the path toward fiscal responsibility.

Second district Congresswoman Ashley Hinson of Marion said in her statement that House Republicans are pumping the brakes on President Biden’s spending binges and taking a step toward fiscal sanity. Third district Congressman Zach Nunn of Bondurant said by avoiding default, the bill provides certainty to Iowans who receive Social Security and Veterans benefits — and prevents a catastrophic interest rate increase.

Fourth district Congressman Randy Feenstra of Hull said in his statement that the bill avoids financial ruin for farmers, families and Main Street businesses, while setting up long-term federal spending controls.

The bill is likely to be voted upon in the U.S. Senate today (Thursday).